In the Boston Bruins elimination post, I noted the team’s goaltending conundrum coming into the summer: Tuukka Rask is a restricted free agent while Tim Thomas is scheduled to enter the last year of his contract. ESPN Boston’s Jimmy Murphy has a bold prediction about how the Bruins will react to that scenario.
“My prediction now: Tim Thomas traded in off-season,” - Murphy’s Tweet.
When reading such a Tweet, I think of two things a) my advice to the Bruins to avoid trading Thomas before the 2010-11 season and b) the surprisingly similar scenario between Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider in Vancouver.
The former point shows that the question has been floating around pretty much since Rask started to really make Toronto Maple Leafs fans grimace about him being traded. The latter holds some weight for a few reasons.
Rask = Schneider?
For one, both Schneider and Rask need new deals, which means that both the Bruins and Canucks probably know that they can’t afford to keep their “goalies of the future” under their expensive franchise guys much longer. It’s interesting to note the parallels between the two scenarios as Rask and Schneider allowed their respective clubs to rest expensive starters before the 2011 playoffs, yet now both teams are out after the first round.
Potential diminishing returns
While Canucks fans have essentially turned on Luongo (and his long contract), trading Thomas would have a lot to do with his age (he just turned 38 on April 15) and the fact that his contract is almost up. One might lazily equate Thomas’ potential departure to Peyton Manning giving way to Andrew Luck; if the Bruins decide to go with youth over a bigger resume, then Rask would win out.
Of course, Thomas hasn’t undergone scary neck surgeries and was still quite good this season, so making this move might even be bolder than the Indianapolis Colts parting ways with a legend.
***
So let’s roll out the questions: how likely would it really be to see Boston move a guy who won them the 2011 Stanley Cup? Would they be wise to go younger in net while also getting something for Thomas? Perhaps they should consider swapping him at the trade deadline, instead? Fire away in the comments.
